How to Exit Turn-Based Mode in Baldur’s Gate 3

You will naturally enter turn-based mode when you encounter any sort of battle in Baldur’s Gate 3. When the battle involves enemies, the game pulls you out of turn-based mode automatically when the fight is over. You will, however, encounter environmental dangers while you’re exploring. At these times, turn-based mode doesn’t turn off naturally. If you’re stuck in turn-based mode and want to get back to running smoothly again, here’s how to turn it off yourself in Baldur’s Gate 3.

How do I Exit Turn-Based Mode in BG3?

You can disable turn-based mode from the menu wheel in Baldur’s Gate 3.

The menu wheel is the menu on which you can see things like your characters, your journal, the short rest feature, and the return to camp option. This wheel also includes turn-based mode. Turn-based mode is the button with the hourglass icon right beside the short rest button. Tap it to enter or exit turn-based mode.

You can press this button at any time to toggle turn-based mode on or off. Movement in turn-based mode isn’t as fluid as when you can move around freely, but it is essential for some portions of the game, particularly while exploring.

Turn-based mode can give you a break from things like turrets at the Arcane Tower, for example. Activating turn-based mode near any environmental threat gives you time to act and retaliate against it rather than being relentlessly bombarded with attacks. Turrets and other traps don’t necessarily wait their turn while playing in real-time, so this mode offers a pleasant breather in between hits.

Areas like the Arcane Tower, the Underground Passage near Emerald Grove that is guarded by several fire-ball hurling statues, and the Grymforge fire-trap bridge are all far easier to tackle in turn-based mode. Once you’re done taking out any nearby threats, disable turn-based mode and continue roaming freely until you stumble across the next curveball BG3 is bound to throw at you.